The prior art is generally cognizant that receptacles can be constructed for dispensing elongated articles in which a tab or arm is depressed by the user so as to dispense a single elongated article, such as a drinking straw, match or cigarette. Often in the prior art dispensing devices of this type, a pivotably mounted member carries a single one of the articles from inside of the unit to outside of the unit through a rotational motion. One example of such an apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,008,867. Other similar examples can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 592,105, 1,773,329, 2,664,330, 2,834,513 and 3,841,531. At least one example is known of a dispensing device which includes both a rotational member capable of selecting a single object from a reservoir and a member which oscillates to carry that selected member out to the user. A device of this type is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,065.
There are also some examples in the prior art of dispensing devices for such articles in which the mechanism delivering the article to the user oscillates into and out of the container of the reservoir of articles to select a single article from the reservoir and deliver it to the user. Examples of devices utilizing this general approach may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,678,355 and 2,916,187. Other known prior art dispensing devices for such articles include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,229,982 and 1,676,109.
It is a concern in the prior art and a general problem in the construction of such dispensing devices that care must be taken to minimize any jamming problem which may occur so as to prevent the dispensing of an article from the container. It has been found that the jostling of articles within the container facilitates the articles resting in an arrangement which minimizes the possibility of jamming when a dispensing activity occurs. In at least one example known in the prior art, that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,219,130, of a teaching in which the dispensing device includes particular means for jostling the articles contained in the dispensing device so as to help minimize the possibility of jamming during the dispensing operation.